36 week appointment and sick of work

Today I had my 36-week appointment, and all is well! My BP is normal, no swelling, weight gain perfect...1 cm dilated, cervix is softening, and the doc says that for a 1st time mom, that is great. Of course, I read nothing into the dilation part, especially because I know I could stay that way for another month +. But, the goal is to work up until Thanksgiving, and then I think I'll take my leave then. I've left that up in the air, considering that I wanted to save up as much sick leave as possible. This week at work was super busy, and my body is giving me signs that I can't live up to my own expectations for much longer.

I'm a bit bitter when it comes to work...luckily my days are fully booked with patients so that I'm getting in my full 40 hours. My productivity is the best of all 10+ therapists in the clinic. BUT: There are therapists who don't have full schedules, they stay on the clock when they shouldn't be (because they have time to surf the net and plan their weddings), have poor productivity, and end up working with 1/2 the heart that I do. And I'm NINE MONTHS PREGNANT. I should be the one with a lighter schedule and more breaks. I should be the one milking the clock. I should be the one who gets to roam the internet before I don't have time to do that anymore. But I'm not.

Why?

Because I'm dedicated. I care about the well-being of my patients. Even the ones who come to P.T. emotionally broken and just need someone to listen to their struggles because no one else will. Today I took pride in treating a patient with mastitis. I was scheduled to have the afternoon off after my MD appt, but the women's clinic called with an emergency request to see this woman. I'm the only therapist in our clinic who knows how to treat mastitis/breast engorgement, and could I say no? Could I turn my back away from a woman who can't breastfeed her child because it is so swollen and painful? Never. Yet all of my other colleauges told me to "just say no and take the day off". That's when I know I'm special. My job is not just a job. I truly care. My patient left today with the ability to pump more milk with less pain. Let's just call that a successful day.

My maternity leave will be sweet because I get to spend time with my little girl and learn as much about her as I can. My coworkers can just go to hell, but I'll worry about my patients the whole time.